Art Sims’ 1124 Design, A Black-Owned Ad Agency, Was A Key Art Designer for Disney’s Mega Hit, ‘Black Panther’

*Now that Disney’s Black Panther, and it’s practically all-Black cast, has stepped up Billion dollar style and smashed all box office records, we thought we’d go behind the scenes and talk to Art Sims, a brilliant art designer and owner of the advertising agency, 1124 Designs, who has worked on some of the most well-known images we have seen in movie advertising.

Spike Lee obviously loves the agency. After Sims did the key artwork for his 1989 film, Do the Right Thing, he brought him back to create a lot more, including the memorable artwork for Malcolm X (1992), Crooklyn (1994), and Mo’ Better Blues (1990).

In fact, Sims sent EURweb senior editor, DeBorah B. Pryor, with whom he graciously did an interview, a ‘Greatest Hits’ poster (Scroll down) showcasing an array of incredible film posters (and the money they made). Posters showcasing his work with the likes of Steven Spielberg (The Color Purple), the very first film done by Ava DuVernay (I Will Follow), and George Lucas (Red Tails).

And that just names a few. See the GREATEST HITS from Art Sims’ 1124 Agency below.

And this…

In speaking with me, Mr. Sims explains why he feels his art work for Black Panther was not chosen for the final cut in the film and how the artwork that was chosen differed from his.

“Our work was the same as the work done by the agency they chose. Disney creative told us not to show Black Panther’s face, and to keep his helmet on. I would have shown comps without the helmet. 1124 designed lots of sketches after reading the script. Marvel and Disney looked at the pencil sketches and gave us the comps they wanted us to do. So we were kind of locked into the key art look through my sketches. I did a lot of research on Black Panther and I thought the key art should have the helmet on Panther and Panther should be in a fighting stance and looming large, to show his power.

So to clarify, your agency actually created the look of this Black Panther. The masked face, black leather skin-fitting suit and all. But Marvel and Disney ended up choosing a smaller version of the look you originated?

Yes.

Wow!

The key art (not chosen) from Art Sims 1124 Ad Agency is at the top of this article. Here it is again pictured below…

“I thought the key art they chose was too soft and Panther was too small,” says Art Sims.

See what Mr. Sims is referring to, directly below.

It looked like the art was trying to tell a story about Wakanda and not about Black Panther, which I think was the wrong idea for the marketing of the film.”Panther was a fighter, a hero, a king in this order.–Art Sims, Key Art Designer for Marvel/Disney film, ‘Black Panther’

I asked Mr. Sims about his most challenging ad campaign. Here’s what he said…

I think Malcolm X was a challenge. Warner Bros, Denzel, and Spike and our agency had to decide which Malcolm we wanted to sell: The young Malcolm, the radical Malcolm, or the old Malcolm. As you can see, we all agreed to the X symbol; which is one of the most beautiful key art pieces. We won lots of awards on Malcolm.”

…and which of his work was chosen by The African American Museum at the Smithsonian. 

Yes. They picked the Do the Right Thing poster for the permanent collection.

Below Art Sims explains the A-Z process involved once his agency is approached to work on a film

We read the script, and draw pencil sketches of our ideas. The studio, producer, and director tell us which ideas they like. We then set up a photo shoot with talent, and build the sets from the sketches. We get the shots, select the best photos, then we design hi res color comprehensives art from the final ideas.

But it is his ‘Final thoughts’ that really resonate!

I wish people would honor the great work I have done. From the greatest movie posters ever designed in film, to being the only Black ad agency,1124 Design will be featured in the African American Museum, worked with Disney and Marvel on the best box office movie ever made. I wish people would respect my work.”

They’d be darn fools not to, Mr. Sims. We are extremely proud of you, sir!

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